Piano-action.



No. 640,&38. Patented lan. 9, 9oo.

' w. c VOUGH.

PIANO ACTION.

(Application filed Sept. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model;)

, l INVENTOR WITNESSES:

No..64o,838. Patente'd lan. 9, aoo. W. C. VOUGH.

PANO ACTION.

(Application fild Sept. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets--Shet 2.

(N' Model.)

WITNESSES:

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS mms co woman-w.. WASHINGTON. u 9.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

WILLAM o. vonon, on wATERLoo, NEW YORK;

PIANO-ACTION;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,838, dai-,ed J'anuary 9, 1900; Application filed September 7, 1899. Seria1No.729,708.(No model.)

TO all whont it meny concrn:

V Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. VOUGH, of Waterloo,in the county ofSeneca,in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Piano-Actions,of which the following, taken inconnection with' the acconpanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention has for its object the prod uction of a piano-action whichis of such constrnction that the pitch of the piano may be readilyraised or lowered and is particularly simple,durable, and effective; andto this end it consists in the combination, Construction, andarrangenent of the Component parts of a piano-action, as hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which like lettersindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a sectional view, partly in elevation,of my improvedpiano-actio1,the parts being shown in their position assuned When thepitch is normal. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View, partly inelevation, of a portion of the piano-action seen in Fig, the parts beingshown in their position assumed when the pitch of the piano is raised.Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 3 3 and4:4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an isometric View of one of the detachedextensions or stickers of my piano-action.

It is well known that it is desirable to readily raise or lower thepitch of a piano as, for instance, to change the same from standard toconcert pitch, and Vice versa. My piano-action is of such Construction'that this object may be readily effected without material addition tothe cost of the action, injury to the piano, or impairment of itsoperation. The essential change in a piano-action rendered necessary inorder that the same may ernbody my invention is to provide each of itsextensions or stickers With engaging faces adapted to be contacted bytwo adjacent keys and to provide suitable means for moving theextensions or stickers so as to force their engaging faces lengthwise ofthe keys into and out of operative position and to hold the extensionsor stickers in their adjusted position. The means for moving theextensions or stick.-

ers may consist of the small rail, which is usu ally connected theretoand may be suitably hinged for permitting the necessary movementthereof.

AA represent the hammers, B B the keys, O C the extensions or stickers,and D the small rail,of a piano-action enibodying my in vention. Thehammers A, the keys B, and the remaining parts of said piano-action,withthe exception of the extensions or stickers C and the small rail D, maybe of any desirable form, size, and Construction. It is thereforeunnecessary to further describe said parts, as the same form no part ofmy present inven-- tion.

The extensions or stickers C are preferably connected in the usualnanner at their upper extremities to the Whips or jack-whips of theaction and are each provided at their lower extremities with engagingfaces c c', which are usually arranged above contiguous keys inalinement therewith and one in advanco of the other, with theircorresponding sides disposed in planes arranged side by side. Theseengaging faces c c' are generally provided upon the lower ends ofbranches 0 0 forned at the lower extrenities of the extensions orstickers O C, one branch 0 of each extension or sticker having its lowerend arranged directly above the contact-face b of the underlying key,and the other branch 0 of each extension or sticker having its lower endarranged in alinement With the branch 0 of the contiguous extension orsticker and in front of said branch 0 and a plane extending upwardlyfrom the contact-face b of the key next adjacent to the former key. Thebranches 0 usually extend downwardly from the overlying portions of theextensions or stickers in substantially continuous planes, and thebranches 0 preferably project laterally beyond the left-hand sides ofthe front portions of said extensions or stickers. It is ohvious,however, that the branches 0 may extend from the right-hand sides ofsaid extensions or stickers and from the rear portions thereof.

The rail D extends at substantially right angles with the lengthwiseplanes of the keys and is suitably supported, so as to move toward andaway from the front of the piano, being preferably Secured loy hinges dat its upper edge to a fixed rail d'. Said rail D is connected to theextensions or strickers O by suitable link connections 61 and is held inits adjusted position by any desirable fastening means, not necessary toherein illustrate and describe. When said rail is held in one of itspositions, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the engaging faces c of theextensions or stickers O are registered or alined with the contactfacesZ of the keys B. As said rail is moved to its other position, asillustrated in Fig. 2, the portions of the extensions or stickersprovided with the faces c c' are simultaneously moved lengthwise of thekeys, thus forcing the engaging faces c out of their operative positionin alinement with the contact-faces b of the keys B and registering oralining the engaging faces c' with said contact-faces. hen the rail Dand the extensions or stickers C are in their position assumed in Fig.2, the movement of any one key will operate the hammer actuated by thenext higher key when said rail and extensions or stickers are in theirposition assumed in Fig. 1. lt is obvious, however, that if the branches0 should extend from the right-hand sides of the extensions or stickersC and were alined or registered with the contact-faces of the keys thenany one key would operate the hammer actuated by the next lower key whenthe branches 0 were alined with the contactfaces b.

The Construction and operation of my improved piano=action will now bereadily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and theaccompanying drawings, and it Will be particularly noted that the exactdetail construction and arrangement of said piano-action may be more orless varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a piano-action, thecombination with a key, and a plurality of hammers; of extensions orstickers having engaging faces for Contacting with said key, theportions of the extensions 'or stickers provided with the engaging facesbeing movable substantially lengthwise of the key for forcing saidengaging faces into and out of operative position, substantiallyas andfor the purpose described.

2. In a piano-action, the combination with a key and a plurality ofhammers; of extensions or stickers supported side by side and eachhaving an engaging face for contacting with the key, said faces beingarranged one in advance of the other above the key and in alinementtherewith, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

3. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, and a plurality ofhammers; of extensions or stickers supported side by side and eachhaving an engaging face for contactin g with said key, the portions ofthe extensions or stickers provided with the engaging faces e ioss beingmovable substantially lengthwise of the' key for forcing the engagingfaces into and out of operative position, and said engaging faces beingarranged one in advance of the other above the key and in alinementtherewith, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a piano-action, the combination with a plurality of keys and ahammer; of an extension or sticker having a plurality of engaging facesfor contacting with said keys, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. In a piano-action, the combination with a piurality of keys, and ahammer; of an extension or sticker having a plurality of engaging facesfor Contacting with said keys, one engaging face being arranged inposition to coperate with one key and a second en gaging face beingarranged out of position to cooperate with a second key, said extensionor sticker being novable for forcing the first engaging face from itsoperative position and for forcing the second engaging face intoposition to coperate with the second key, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

6. In a piano-action, the combination with a plurality of keys, and ahammer; of an extension or sticker having a plurality of engaging facesfor contacting with said keys, one engaging face being arranged aboveone key in alinement therewith, and a second engaging face beingarranged in front of the first engaging face and above a second key inalinement therewith, and means for moving the portion of the extensionor sticker provided with said faces substantiallylengthwise of the keys,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In apiano-action, the combination with keys and hammers; ofextensions or stickers supported side by side and each provided withengaging faces having corresponding sides arranged in planes disposedside by side, the engaging faces upon contiguous sides of adjacentextensions or stickers being arranged one in advance of the other,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a piano-action, the combination with a key, and a plurality ofhammers; of extensions or stickers having engaging faces for' Contactingwith said key, a movable rail extending at substan tially right anglesWith the lengthwise planes of the keys, and means connecting theextensions or stickers and the rail for nioving said engagin g faceslengthwise of the keys, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a piano-action, the combination with a plurality of keys andhammers; of extensions or stickers each having a plurality of engagingfaces for contacting with the keys, one engaging face of one of theextensions or stickers being arranged above one key in alinementtherewith and at the rear of an engaging face of a contiguous extensionor sticker, and a second engaging face of said one of the extensions orstickers being ar- ICO i'anged above a second key in alinement there-With and in front of the first engaging face of said one of theextensions or stickers and an engaging face of a contiguous extension orsticker, a' movable rail extending at substantiallyright angles With thelengthwise planes of the keys, and means connecting the extensions orstickers and the rail for noving` said engaging faces lengthwise of thekeys, su bstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a piano-action, the combination With keys and hammers; ofextensions or stickers keys and hamners;` of extensions or stickerssupported side by side and each provided witli branches, the lower endsof the branches upon contiguous sides of adjacent extensions or stickersbeing arranged one in advance of the other, substantially as and for thepurpose set fOl'`h.

12. As a new article of manufacture, the herein-described extension orsticker for a iano-action, the same havin its lower end provided Withbranches having their extremities arranged one in advance of the other,with their corresponding` sides disposed in planes arranged side byside, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testinony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo attesting witnesses, at XVaterloo, in the county of Seneca, in theState of New York, this 1th day of May, 1898.

W`ILLIAM C. VOUGH.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. ZARTMAN, LEONARD STORY,

